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Direct rivals · Direct rivals in the minivan segment

2016 Honda Odyssey vs 2016 Kia Sedona

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-06-14 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2016 Honda Odyssey and 2016 Kia Sedona are nearly tied on reliability data

Two direct rivals running close on the data. Reliability scores are within rounding distance (3.4 versus 3.5), and both have similar complaint patterns. At this margin, choose based on what specifically matters to your use case rather than overall scoring.

2016 Honda Odyssey

3.4/5
Reliability score
257 complaints
3 recalls (0 critical)
$11,800 repair exposure
vs

2016 Kia Sedona

3.5/5
Reliability score
285 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$11,550 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

Direct rivals running close enough that you'd be fine either way. Reliability scores within rounding distance (3.4 for the 2016 Honda Odyssey, 3.5 for the 2016 Kia Sedona). When two vehicles in the same segment land this close, the data alone won't pick a winner.

If you lean 2016 Honda Odyssey, know what you're getting into on powertrain and body. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than the 2016 Kia Sedona sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.

Going with the 2016 Kia Sedona? Watch the engine and electrical. The 2016 Honda Odyssey has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2016 Honda Odyssey
2016 Kia Sedona
engine
74 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
123 reports
severe · ~$3,100
electrical
33 reports
severe · ~$850
43 reports
critical · ~$850
powertrain
37 reports
severe · ~$2,500
11 reports
severe · ~$2,500
body
19 reports
severe · ~$1,500
16 reports
severe · ~$1,500
lighting
No reports
27 reports
severe · ~$250
airbags
8 reports
severe · ~$1,100
13 reports
severe · ~$1,100
steering
6 reports
moderate · ~$700
6 reports
severe · ~$700
cruise control
8 reports
severe · ~$600
No reports
brakes
5 reports
severe · ~$450
No reports
seatbelts
No reports
4 reports
moderate · ~$500

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2016 Honda Odyssey or the 2016 Kia Sedona?

It's close to a tie. Both vehicles score within 0.2 points on our reliability index (3.4 vs 3.5). At this margin, either choice is defensible — base your decision on the specific failure modes that matter to you.

What goes wrong more often on the 2016 Honda Odyssey?

Compared to the 2016 Kia Sedona, the 2016 Honda Odyssey sees more reported issues in powertrain and body. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.

What goes wrong more often on the 2016 Kia Sedona?

Compared to the 2016 Honda Odyssey, the 2016 Kia Sedona has more complaints in engine and electrical. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

The 2016 Honda Odyssey has more active recalls (3 vs 1). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $11,800 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. Verify each vehicle's federal record: 2016 Honda Odyssey on NHTSA · 2016 Kia Sedona on NHTSA. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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